2nd 9 Weeks Spelling Words

In words ending in -ent and -ant, the e and a are often mistaken for another. Look closely at each word in order to remember which ones end in -ent and which in -ant.

Word Bank
argument
convenient
equipment
excellent
excitement
experiment
permanent
pleasant
servant
temperament

Part 1

Fill in the blank with the correct word from the word bank. Use the context of the sentence to determine which word should be used.

1. The archery team bought new________________________this year.
2. Juan and his brother had a heated _____________________over the chores.
3. Mrs. Carson's science class conducted an _______________on solar energy.
4. My sister is an ___________________driver in snowy weather.
5. Kara played the part of Juliet's_________________in Romeo and Juliet.
6. It wan not ________________for Chris to meet us after school, so we'll meet Saturday instead.
7. The treaty promised a _________________peace between the two counties.
8. It was a _________________day for a picnic in the park.

Part 2

Write a paragrph using at least four words from the word bank.

Reading Fair Guidelines

Our Reading Fair will be held on Thursday, October 26, 2017

The purpose of the Reading Fair is to promote a love of reading. Students use a standard tri-fold project board that unfolds to be 36'' H x 48'' W to create a colorful and interesting storyboard depicting elements from their favorite book.

Set up: October 25, 2017

Judging: October 26, 2017

Take down: October 27, 2017

Reading Fair Guidelines

The Outsiders

 – Chapter Questions Answer the following questions on separate paper in full sentences.

Chapter 1
1. Write down the first sentence of the novel. What does Ponyboy mean by these words?
2. What is the setting of this novel?
 3. What is the point of view?
 4. What are the differences between the Socs and the Greasers?
 5. Which group do you suppose the author has more sympathy for? Why?
 6. How do Ponyboy’s feelings for Sodapop differ from his feelings for Darry?
7. Why do you suppose Darry acts the way he does?
8. What mistake did Ponyboy make in the beginning of the book?
9. How did the gang get him out of trouble?
10. What is the conflict of the novel?
11. Why is Johnny afraid all of the time?
12. Why does Johnny depend on the gang so much?
 13. Who are Dally, Two-Bit, Steve, and Sandy?

Chapter 2 

1. What is the tone of this novel? 

2. What is Dally’s motive for sneaking into the movie for free? What does this tell you about his personality? 

3. How does Marcia’s personality differ from Cherry’s? Explain.

4. What does Ponyboy tell Cherry about his family? 

5. Explain how Johnny got hurt. How does this affect his personality?

 6. Explain how Johnny, as timid as he is, could be considered “dangerous”.

 7. What did Cherry mean when she said, "Things are rough all over,"?

 8. What do the last words of this chapter foreshadow, “I know better now,”? 

9. Since the conflict of the novel has already been established, what part of plot is going on now?

Vocabulary

https://quizlet.com/3057008/the-outsiders-vocabulary-ch-1-3-flash-cards

"Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

Prezi introduction to "Flowers for Algernon"

Academic Vocabulary

Analyze
Infer
Justify
Criteria
Logic
Motive

Content Vocabulary

Deceive

Deterioration

Intellectual

Introspective

Naivete

Refute

Conventions: Adjectives and Adverbs

An adjective is a word that modifies or describes a noun or a pronounce. 

What kind? Which one? How many? How much?

An adverb is a word that modifies or describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. 

Adverbs often end in -ly and answer questions such as in what way? where? when? and to what extent?

"The Tell-Tale Heart" Edgar Allan Poe

Character Analysis Direction Sheet

Directions:
Follow the directions below.
Get the graphic organizers from your teacher.
Use the book and your reading log to help you.

1. PART 1 – ANALYZE THE CHARACTER

 Graphic Organizer 1 (front) – Complete the chart with BASIC INFORMATION to determine how the narrator feels about himself and how you feel about him. Use the information from your Reading Log questions and chart (unreliable/reliable narrator) to help you fill out this chart.

Graphic Organizer 2 (back) - What kind of person is the narrator? Reread the story looking for details that reveal the nature of this strange man. Use these details to complete the chart. You must have at least 2 items in each row/section of the chart. Look for examples of both direct and indirect characterization. For the “WORDS - What He Says” section, you must write down his exact words (put quotations around them) and the pg. # and line #.

2. PART 2 – DESCRIBE THE CHARACTER

Next, complete the bubble map. Use these details from your graphic organizers to name at least 4 OF YOUR OWN adjectives describing justifiable character traits of the narrator. You are describing the narrator AS YOU SEE HIM. You should be able to justify your adjectives based on the information in your graphic organizers. Fill this information in the bubble map (see pg. 2). Do not use dead words or slang words. Use higher level, eighth-grade vocabulary.

3. PART 3 – SANE OR MAD?

Complete the graphic organizer (on the back of the bubble map) determining whether you think the narrator is sane or mad. Use text-based evidence to look at both sides. This evidence will help support your opinion. Do not use dead words or slang words. Use higher level, eighth-grade vocabulary. WORDS - What he says ACTIONS - What he does CONFLICTS - What his conflicts are MOTIVATIONS - What his motivations are for his actions

4. PART 4 – WRITE ABOUT THE CHARACTER

Finally, reread all of this data you have collected. Use this information to write an informative profile paragraph as if you are a psychiatrist or criminal profiler putting together a profile of the murderer’s personality to turn in to the police. This piece of writing must be formal. Make sure your details are clear and factual, not opinionated. You must be objective.

REQUIREMENTS
- Include the information from your graphic organizers (steps 1 and 2 on the direction sheet).
 - Point of View – write as if you are a psychiatrist or criminal profiler
- The writing must be FORMAL and OBJECTIVE, using clear, factual evidence (information from the story which was included in your graphic organizers)
 - you must include academic vocabulary (at least 2 words) ACADEMIC VOCABULARY WORDS: infer, justify, analyze, criteria, logic, motive
 - you must include vocabulary words from the story (2 words this time)

Six Traits of Writing

Narrative Writing

Narrative: Definition

Narrative writing coveys an experience, either real or imaginary and uses time as its deep structure.  Narrative writing can be informative, persuasive, or entertaining.

What are the characteristics of the narrative text type?

Narrative writing uses time as its deep structure. This writing conveys experience – real or imagined. Genres that exemplify narrative writing include the autobiography, the memoir, and fictional stories. The purpose of a narrative may be to entertain, instruct, inform, or entertain.

Stop Here!

Informational/Explanatory: Definition

Informational/ explanatory writing conveys information accurately.  The writer’s purpose is to increase the reader’s knowledge, to help the reader better understand a procedure or process, or to increase the reader’s comprehension of a concept.  Information writing begins with the assumption of truthfulness and answers questions of why or how.  Writers draw information from what they already know and from primary and secondary sources.  They must select and incorporate relevant examples, facts, and details.

What are the characteristics of the informative/explanatory text type?

Informative/explanatory writing conveys information accurately. Writings that exemplify this text type include summaries and instructions. The purpose of informative/explanatory writing is to increase knowledge, explain a procedure, or explore a concept in depth.

Argument: Definition

An argument is a reasoned, logical way of demonstrating the writer’s position, belief, or conclusion.  The writer makes a claim and then defends that claim with information from credible sources.  Students must clarify relationships between the claim and the evidence and address counter claims.  Argument takes the form of opinion in the elementary grades and evolves into argument in the middle and high school grades.

What are the characteristics of the argument text type?

Argument is an especially important text type since it requires the writer to provide reasoned, logical proof for a claim or assertion. The purpose of argument is to change the reader’s thinking, move the reader to action, or convince the reader to accept the writer’s explanation of a problem or concept. The complexities of this type of logical reasoning exceed the cognitive ability of most elementary students. Therefore, as a precursor to argument, elementary students are taught to express opinions that are well supported by facts and evidence.

Informational Text

Down Syndrome

US NATIONAL ONLINE MEDICINE

Directions: Read the article titled "Down Syndrome" from Kids Health website and complete an objective summary in the comment section below. 

1. Post Anonymously

2. At the bottom of you objective summary, type your initials and period for easy identification.

Welcome Class of 2022

This year, students will focus on comprehension and analytical reading skills through the study of a variety of authors and genres. Students will learn how successful readers think and visualize when they read, interact with, and examine text.  In writing, students will focus on writing arguments, writing informative/explanatory, writing narratives and using research to build and present knowledge. Students will engage in a range of collaborative discussions on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, and they will demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Book List:

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
The Outsiders by S.E. HInton
We Beat the Streets by Sharon Draper
The Boy in Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Supplies:

Ø  #2 pencils

Ø  Five Star Notebook, 8 1/2in.  x 11 in

Ø  2 packs of index cards (3x5)

Ø  3 Boxes of Tissue

Ø  Clorox Wipes

Class of 2021

The end of the year is here! This year has flown by like no other, and I am so proud of each of you. As you move out of middle school and on to high school, I want to wish all of you the best. Have a great summer and "stay gold!" Love you!

“Nothing Stay Forever"
"Nature’s first green is gold,
"Her hardest hue to hold.
"Her early leaf’s a flower;
"But only so an hour.
"Then leaf subsides to leaf.
"So Eden sank to grief,
"So dawn goes down today.
"Nothing gold can stay.

-- Robert Frost” 
― S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders

Fish on a Farm | Ocean Today

Fish on a Farm | Ocean Today

MAP Item Sampler and Practice Test

Complete the following practice test. Don't forget to include your name, date, period, and teacher.

https://ms-sampler.nextera.questarai.com/tds/#practice

Intense Review Notes

VERBS

Common Errors with Subject-Verb Agreement

Prepositional Phrases – When a prepositional phrase comes between the subject and the verb, look at the subject, not the object of the preposition.

                The girl on the stairs is my sister.

Sentences that begin with here or there – When a sentence starts with here or there, know that here or there is not the subject.  The subject is the item that is here or there.

                Here is the answer.

                There are my keys.

Compound Subjects:

Joined by AND – always plural

                James and John are brothers.

Joined by OR or NOR – look at the last subject, or the one closest to the verb.

                Either Matt or Kim is coming.

                Neither the teacher nor the students know the answer.

Indefinite Pronouns – these pronouns refer to a group of people or things that are not specifically names.  They can be either singular or plural.

Be careful to choose the correct verb even though it may sound plural.

Singular	Plural
Anybody, everybody, somebody, nobody,	Both, others,
Anyone, everyone, someone, none, one, each,	Few, several,
Anything, everything, something, nothing	Many, some

Everyone in these two classes has on a T-shirt.

Few understand the material.

VERB TENSE

Perfect Tense (has happened in the past, continuing)   uses has, have, had + a past tense verb (or past participle if the verb is irregular)

Have, has = present perfect

Had = past perfect

Will have = future perfect    ***includes a specific time frame

He will have finished the wall by next week.

Direct Objects

·         Answer the question who or what (ex: painted what?)

·         Are nouns or pronouns

·         Always come AFTER the action verb

Indirect Objects

·         Answer the question to whom (what) or for whom (what)

(painted picture for whom?)

·         Are nouns or pronouns

·         Always come AFTER the action verb AND IN FRONT OF the direct object

Transitive Verbs

·         Action verbs that have a direct object

Intransitive Verbs

·         Action verbs that do NOT have a direct object

How to answer questions like “Which sentence does NOT have a direct object” or Which sentence uses  a transitive verb”:

1. Find the verb. Underline it. (If it is not an action verb, it has no direct object)

2. Eliminate all prepositional phrases (direct objects will NOT be in these)

3. Look at the verb. Say the verb, then ask “who” and “what” Your answer (if you have one) is the direct object. Label it DO.

4. Look at the verb. Say the verb and the direct object, then ask “to whom” and “for whom” Your answer (if you have one) is the indirect object. Label it IO.

__________________________________________________________________

NOUNS AND PRONOUNS

Relative pronouns** relate to a noun before them in the same sentence.

They come at the beginning of dependent clauses (in complex sentences).

They are: Who, Whom, Whoever, Whomever, That, Which

When referring to people, use WHO, WHOM, WHOEVER, and WHOMEVER

                Use WHO or WHOEVER when referring to a noun that is the subject of the

             clause or sentence.

                Use WHOM or WHOMEVER when referring to a noun that is the object of

             the sentence.

The girl who won the contest is my sister.

(who refers to the girl and is the subject of the clause as well)

Do you know the girl whom I said was the winner?

(whom refers to the girl and I is the subject of the clause)

Appositives - a noun or a pronoun that renames another noun or

    pronoun.

Appositives are placed directly after the noun or pronoun they identify.

• Spot, my black cat, should understand my moods.

The appositive “a cat” renames the noun, “Spot.”

               

Appositive phrases – appositives plus modifiers (like adjectives and

     prepositional phrases)

Appositive phrases provide additional information and description to the sentence. As with solitary appositives, appositive phrases are placed near the noun or pronoun they describe.

• Columbia University, the second-largest landowner in New York City, is part of the Ivy League.
• David Prowse, the guy in the Darth Vader suit in the Star Wars movies, did not find out that his lines were going to be dubbed over by James Earl Jones until he saw the screening of the movie.

Appositives and appositive phrases are usually set apart by commas from the rest of the sentence.

• Essential (restrictive) appositive phrases – These are NEEDED in the sentence in order to fully understand it. They are NOT separated by commas.
• The famous British mystery writer Agatha Christie disappeared in 1924 and was missing for 10 days.

• Nonessential (nonrestrictive) appositive phrases – These are NOT needed in the sentence; they just add information. They ARE separated by commas.
• Agatha Christie, the famous British mystery writer, disappeared in 1924 and was missing for 10 days.

Titles of Works 

Italicize or underline titles of books, magazines, plays, movies, T.V. shows, or newspapers.

                 

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Teen Beat

West Side Story

Kung Fu Panda

I-Carly

Laurel-Leader Call

Put “quotation marks” around titles of short stories, essays, articles, songs, poems, and chapters in books.

                 

“The Gift of the Magi”

                “My Trip to the Zoo”

                “Coffee: To Drink or Not to Drink”

                “Jingle Bells”

                “The Purple Cow”

                “The Big Winner”

CAPITILIZE the first words, last words, and all important words in titles of works.  Do NOT capitalize prepositions, conjunctions, or articles (a, an, the) unless they are the first or last words.

                 

The Lord of the Rings

A Wonder Book

“My Sister Is a Sissy”

“A Fly and a Flea in a Flue”

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

“Today’s Schools: What Should We Do about Absences?”

TYPES OF SENTENCES:

Simple – one complete sentence

Compound – two or more complete sentences joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, for, so, yet, nor) with a comma before the conjunction.

Complex – one complete sentence plus a subordinate clause (clause that begins with subordinating conjunction)

                Subordinating conjunctions:

                After       Although     As/As if/As though     Because     Before       If            Since       Though     Unless  Until        When/Whenever     Where/Wherever     While

                Even if      Even though     So that     Once     As soon as      Whether 

Complex sentences ONLY need a comma when the subordinating conjunction is at the beginning of the sentence!

1. Simple: Polly has a dog named Roxy.

2. Compound: Roxy loves to sleep, but she also loves to play.

3. Complex: When I’m at Polly’s house, I play with Roxy.

Sentences with Compound Subjects and Predicates:

A compound subject is two or more subjects joined by AND or OR.

A compound predicate is two or more predicates joined by AND or OR.

Sally and Mark went to the movies.                  Either Sally or Mark bought the tickets.

Mark bought popcorn and shared with Sally.   Sally didn’t laugh or cry during the movie.

______________________________________________________________________________

WRITING QUESTIONS:

1. Always read the selections first.  Then read the questions carefully.

2. Notice (circle) the TYPE of writing it is.

3. Figure out what the topic is if they don’t tell you.

Questions dealing with

Topic Sentence, Supporting Details, Conclusions and Introductions:

1. Underline your topic sentence or write the topic out to the side.

2. Read all of the answer choices carefully and look for key words that go with the topic.

3. To figure out an introduction or conclusion, re-read the selection with each possible choice to see which one flows better and fits in with the organization.

VIVID WORD CHOICE – You are looking for ACTION words. Something you can clearly picture happening.

SENSORY DETAILS – You are looking for ACTION dealing with the 5 senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, and sound.

SPECIFIC DETAILS – You are looking for something very specific, seemingly too detailed.

DESCRIPTIVE DETAILS – You are looking for lots of ADJECTIVES, very poetic, descriptive language.

PURPOSE – Narrative and descriptive=entertain

                        Informative (researched)=inform

                        Taking a stand=persuasive

PARAPHRASING – the best summary, including all important information in the shortest way possible.

SOURCES – Where you get information from to write a research paper.  It should have to do with the topic.